Deathly Hallows: A Love Story
by thirdmonth
Summary: R/Hr fanfic! During and after Hogwarts. Same HP plot line, but the unseen moments in the development of their relationship and the nights they spend together that changed their friendship into a romance. I've rated it M for later chapters. Rate and Review please! I'd love feedback:)
1. Chapter 1: After Malfoy Manor

Ron sat in the silence. He watched Hermione breathing softly as she lay asleep in a bed at his family's beach house. Her face was gently outlined in the moonlight. Her chest rose and fell peacefully with each breath. Her eyes had stopped flickering back and forth and her slumber had become calm at last. Ron squinted his eyes. He could hardly make out the mark on her neck that Bellatrix had left only hours before. In the dead of the night, absent of the urgency and apprehension in the wizarding world, it felt if only for a moment, as though nothing else existed. It was just Hermione, safe and lovely, wrapped up in the warmth of the shimmering night's light.

The day's events in their entirety had run over in his mind twice since he had taken this spot next to the bed. It was becoming increasingly difficult to organize his thoughts. The horcruxes haunted him, reminding him that everything dear to him was made vulnerable as he stood by his friends in their duty to destroy them. There were so many questions left unanswered. There was still so much to understand and it frustrated him. The less they knew and the longer it took for them to know all there was to know, the longer everyone would be in danger. He furrowed his brow and breathed deeply. Harry needed Ron to be strong for him, he told himself. Yet thoughts of his mum sick with panic about the three of them and their safety made Ron feel incredibly guilty.

Hermione stirred and Ron sat motionless as she settled back into her slumber. His thoughts turned to her. Somehow in the midst of all the chaos in his mind, he always ended back in the same place; thinking of Hermione. He thought of her family and how she didn't know where they were. He thought of how she must miss them, and how selfless she was in her attempt to keep them safe. He thought of her being safe. Was she safe? He and Harry had been separated from her earlier and her screams still rang clear to him now, even as she lay in front of him, away from immediate danger. He reminded himself of how bright she was. He told himself of how she was the cleverest witch in their year, although their own year was not nearly a great enough testament to how very intelligent she truly was. If anyone could take on the things that lay ahead, it was Hermione. Ron still wanted to keep her protected, though; he loved her.

A sigh gripped his attention. The look of distress on Hermione's face sunk into sadness. She let out a second low sigh. Ron stood up from his chair and motioned towards her. He quickly withdrew his hand. He wasn't sure what exactly to do with it. He didn't want to startle her, but the single crease in her forehead left him uneasy. He didn't want her to feel panicked.

Ron knelt down beside the bed. One hand against the wall, the other placed to his knee.

"Hermione," he said gently.  
Her eyes shot open. Wide and alert, they searched wildly, looking into the darkness to find the voice calling her name. They focused on Ron's face. The crease in her forehead softened.

"Ron?" she whispered.

"Yeah." He whispered back to her.

She closed her eyes as a tear fell from her eyelash and trickled across her cheek. Ron reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She gripped his hand tightly in hers.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking into the dark.

"It's late." He said as he stood up. "I think I just dozed off in that chair, but I'll go if you want."

"I don't want you to." Hermione whispered up to Ron.

Ron pulled the chair towards him. He positioned it next to the bed Hermione laid in. He looked down at her. From here her fresh marks were more apparent.

"Thanks, Ron." Hermione said as she looked up to him.

"Yeah." He smiled down to her.

Hermione moved across the bed to make room for Ron. She looked up at him and peeled back the blanket.


	2. Chapter 2: A Night In Shell Cottage

Ron sat frozen in the moment. Warmth spread across his chest, down his back and up his cheeks. He felt his ears burn and his heart beating faster. His breath stopped short but his eyes didn't break away from Hermione's for one second. Ron had never been as close to Hermione as he would be laying next her. It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Ron stood up, knees weak, palms sweating. These moments were becoming more frequent between Hermione and him. He knew his feelings for her were no longer something that he could conceal. They had spent the last 7 years of their lives together, he, Harry and Hermione. They had shared the most life altering experiences together. They were a family and if there was a time that his family should know he loved them, it was now. He wanted Hermione to know he cared about her. He wanted her to know that he wanted her to be safe and he wanted her to care about him, too.

Hermione rolled onto her side as Ron sat down on the edge of the bed. He kicked off his slippers and lifted his legs onto the bed. He laid back onto the flattened old pillow and pulled the bed sheet up to his stomach. Hands under his head, toes to the end of the rod iron bed rails, Ron turned his head to Hermione. Her eyes didn't meet his. They peered across his body and into the darkness on the far side of the room. The two laid in the silence of the musty old room. Waves crashed on the beach and the wind whistled quietly through the cottage. Floorboards creaked every so often and the springs below their mattress would squeak with every move, yet Ron's eyes stayed on Hermione's. Her bent knee grazed his leg and his stomach twisted into a knot. He was very much aware of their bodies whenever they came into contact. Hermione delicately pressed a finger to the side of Ron's body. He felt the little patch of skin below her finger begin to tingle. She pinched a piece of Ron's shirt between her fingers and watched as she fiddled aimlessly with it. Ron watched too. Her fingers softly tugging at his shirt made him feel close to her, so he breathed in the smell of the cabin and held onto the moment.

Finally Hermione looked up to Ron. When their gazes aligned everything sat still. She was waiting for something, he thought. He pulled one hand from behind his head and searched for her fingertips. His fingers brushed the tips of hers, and she entangled her fingers in his. Her heavy eyelids fell and Ron studied her eyes, her nose, her lips, her chin, the way her hair fell around her face. Every single freckle sprinkled across her face was pretty. He liked every one of them and so he locked his fingers in hers to hold her there. Ron looked down to their hands. Hermione's bandaged arm made him nauseous. He looked back to her face and her eyes were studying him, too.

"That will never happen again." Ron whispered to her, motioning to her wrist. Hermione smiled gently and nodded her head. Ron rolled onto his side and the bedsprings creaked and cracked below his weight. Both of their body's facing the other, Ron and Hermione smirked as their faces aligned. Their hands stayed together in place.

As the uncomfortable tension eased, Ron could tell that Hermione's thoughts had stolen her from him.

"Are you upset about the Malfoy's? They're damn bloody cowards, Hermione. You're the bravest witch I've ever met." Ron whispered to the silence. Hermione blinked her eyes slowly and Ron watched her lips curl into a tender smile. She shook her head slowly.

"What is it, then?" he asked. "Is it Dobby?"

Hermione nodded, her eyes filled with sadness, their hearts growing heavy together.

"I feel horrible." She breathed out before tears fell from her eyes again. Ron nodded, holding her hand sympathetically.

"He was so brave. He was a good elf." She cried quietly.

Ron wasn't sure what to say to comfort her. He sat up against the rod iron bed rails and pulled Hermione into a hug.

"He was a really great elf," he said back to her. "He was really great, and really brave. He died a hero."

Hermione nodded and sat up. She wiped the tears from her face. Her eyelids hung low and the circles below her eyes told Ron she needed sleep. He laid back down and pulled the big quilt up to Hermione's lap. She laid down against his body.

Her head tilted to his shoulder, Hermione breathed deeply and slowly. Ron stretched out his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close and held her as she drifted back to sleep. Her breathing steadied and her body fell into his. He felt the warmth that radiated between the two of them. She laid a hand on his shoulder and placed her head to it. Her arms squished against his side and her hair tickled his wrist. Ron reached down and pulled the heavy quilt up and tucked it around Hermione's body. Warm and exhausted with Hermione safely in his arms, Ron closed his eyes. He felt Hermione's heart beat. He listened as their breaths aligned. He listened until a wind chime and the waves were all he noticed. He listened until he didn't know that he was no longer listening. Her breathing softly rocked him to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Hogwarts

The days that Harry, Ron and Hermione spent at Shell Cottage passed quickly. The trio had plenty left to complete in their task of destroying horcruxes, and time was dwindling. It wasn't long before their journey had lead them back to Hogwarts for the first time in months. After successfully breaking into and out of Gringotts, the three friends landed in the home of Aberforth Dumbledore, with the latest of the critically sought after horcruxes. The cup of Helga Hufflepuff was now in their possession. It's dark magic pulsed inside Hermione's bag, where it awaited it's fate; the destruction of its existence. Though they had gained the horcrux in the mission into the Gringotts Bank, Harry, Ron and Hermione had been left wit swordless due to Griphook and his unforgiving faults. There were no other options available, they were forced to move forward with their search for the next horcrux.

Tipped off by the connection Harry shared with Voldemort, he was able to see that a horcrux had been hidden in the castle some time ago. Hermione, Ron and Harry landed in Hogsmead, where Aberforth was able to reunite them with the other members of Dumbledore's Army. Neville lead them from Aberforth's home at the Hog's Head Inn, to the Hogwarts Castle through an underground passage from Hogsmead. His whispers of horror stories depicted new life at Hogwarts. They filled the tunnel with a cold, uneasy atmosphere. The three of them exchanged glances while the stories Neville told them quietly echoed through the passageway. The wounds inflicted upon Neville's face were the caused a shared concern between them. Neville however, beamed proudly in the dim light of the torches that lined the tunnel that they briskly strode down.

"Gran's on the run." He told them. "She sent me a letter telling me that she was proud of me, that I'm my parents' son, and to keep it up."

Everyone smiled back at Neville. Hogwarts had been held together through Neville's efforts and Ron, Harry and Hermione were equally as proud as Neville's Gran in that moment.

They finally reached the end of the passage, and Neville smiled in anticipation of what awaited the group on the other side of the door.

"Look who it is!" Neville called loudly to the crowd of their classmates who stood below them. Ron heard echoes of his name along with Harry and Hermione's throughout the Room of Requirement, booming from all the familiar faces. They greeted all of their classmates. They all exchanged stories briefly, applauding one another for their efforts over the recent months they had been separated, but time was cut short as the horcrux awaited them somewhere in the castle. The crowd stood in silence as Harry explained what is was they were searching for. He told them that the item they were searching for might have belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw. Ron and Hermione stood by his side waiting to see if there were any ideas as to what the item may be.

"Well, that's her lost diadem." Luna informed them confidently. Although it wasn't much to go on, it was more than anything else they had, so Harry and Luna proceeded to Ravenclaw tower to begin the search for the diadem.

Hermione looked anxiously at Ron as Harry and Luna took their exit through the small cupboard door that took them down a staircase to the castle corridor.

"What now?" Ron asked her, hoping she had some direction for him.

She shook her head aimlessly.

"I don't know." She looked back into Ron's eyes.

Fred and George approached the two friends with excitement. Both twins took turns pulling Ron and Hermione into strong embraces as they told them the events leading up to the Weasley family's retreat into hiding. Ginny gripped Ron's hand for the first time in months and he smiled down to her, while Fred and George proudly expressed their excitement over potterwatch. He took comfort in the moment he shared with his siblings. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he was at ease knowing his family was safe and together. He looked happily to Hermione, who was following the George's account of potterwatch during their time in hiding. While she enthusiastically took in the information, nodding occasionally, Ron was reminded of her family. And as he stood happily surrounded by his family, Hermione stood surrounded by none of hers, still unaware of their whereabouts or their safety. Ron extended his arm and pulled his sister close to him. He kissed the top of her fiery head, and extended a second arm. He wrapped it across Hermione's shoulder and pulled her close, too. She and Harry were just as much a part of the Weasley family as he was, and he took comfort in their safety as well.

Hermione leaned her head to Ron's shoulder and returned her attention back to Fred and George. Ron directed his attention back to them as well, when all of a sudden he was hit with a wave of realization.

"Hermione!" Ron interrupted a gripping tale of a dim-witted snatcher illustrated by Fred. "Hermione, the sword!"

"What is it, Ron?" she asked, her eyes anxiously shifting from one curious Weasley face to the next.

"Uh," Ron smiled awkwardly to his siblings before stepping away from the group. Hermione joined him and leaned into his whispers, confused about Ron's sudden outburst.

"The blade, Hermione!" Ron whispered excitedly. "You said that Goblin made blades imbibe only that which strengthen them!"

"Ya that's right, but what-"

"The basilisk Hermione! The sword could destroy the horcuxes because it took in the venom of the basilisk."

Hermione's eyes shot open, wide with the realization of what Ron was saying.

"There's a dead basilisk here, Hermione! And its venom has already destroyed one horcrux!" Ron said to her hurriedly as she nodded with his words. "We have to go into the Chamber of Secrets!"

"Ronald, that's brilliant!" said Hermione looking bewildered.

Ron's cheeks flushed pink as Hermione admired his contribution. He pulled his eyes from her excited ones, and scanned across the Room of Requirement. It was filling quickly with parents and members of the Order as they filed gradually through the passage entrance. The room was becoming hectic, but Ron's eyes finally landed on the broomsticks that were propped against the bookcase on the far side of the room. Ron looked back to Hermione, adrenaline shooting through him. She met his gaze supportively, assuring him of his plan.

"Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4: Back Into The Chamber

Ron and Hermione raced down the open corridor. The stillness was nerve-racking.

"I've never had to do this without Harry's invisibility cloak before. It makes things a bit more complicated." Ron whispered quietly to Hermione, carrying the large broomstick awkwardly in one hand as they ran.

They jumped behind a statue in attempt to remain hidden from any Hogwarts faculty that may not take kindly to visitors. Hermione peered around the other side of the knight that sheltered them.

"It's clear, there's no one down here." She whispered back to him.

"It's not people I'm worried about, it's Filch's cat. She always waits until you think you're safe."

They ran down the corridor to a staircase that stopped before them. Hearts racing, hair rippling behind Hermione's head, they reached the bottom on the staircase and still, the castle was silent.

"It's down this corridor and to the right." Hermione said under her breath. Ron could hear panic in her voice, and he felt it too. It was only a few more treads before they reached the lavatory. The turned the corner into the entrance to reveal the U-bend when-

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" roared a voice in the bathroom.

Ron and Hermione came to an abrupt stop as the shriek echoed through the corridor. A graceful silhouette drifted down from the ceiling and floated directly above the pair, who were still clutching their chests from the startle.

"Student's shouldn't be roaming the school at night." Said Moaning Myrtle, a smirk curling up the edges of a wicked smile.

"Myrtle, please," pleaded Hermione, "please don't make too much noise. Myrtle we have to get into the Chamber of Secrets. It's important we're not seen!"

"Oh?" said Myrtle, turning to Ron. "Back into the plumbing?"

"Yeah." said Ron, trying to avoid provoking a tantrum.

"No Harry this time?" she asked looking past Ron, hoping to lay her eyes upon Harry no doubt.

Hermione stepped into Myrtle's gaze in attempt to take back her attention.

"Well, he's not coming with us, Myrtle. But it's important to Harry that we go. So please, let us pass and get down to the Chamber."

"Alright." said Myrtle floating back up to the top of the lavatory. Ron and Hermione exhaled sighs of relief and they walked further into the girls' bathroom.

"What's waiting for you down there?" ask Myrtle curiously, following the duo towards the sinks.  
"It's got a snake on it, Hermione; the sink that opens up." Called Ron as Hermione rushed forward.

Hermione looked up to Myrtle who hovered above the toilet that had been designated to her years before.

"It's what's going to help us end this war." Hermione told her. Ron rolled his eyes as he watched Hermione engaging in a discussion with Myrtle.

"Hermione, we're kind of running on a tight schedule here." he told her; a hint of annoyance rang in his tone as he looked up to Myrtle. She smiled smugly back to him.

"Look Myrtle, after all of this is finished, we'd be glad to come by and give you a run down of past year or so but I really have to suggest that WE KEEP ON MOVING, HERMIONE!" said Ron urgently.

"He's right, Myrtle, I'm sorry. We'll see you when we get back." said Hermione quickly.

She turned to the sinks and watched as Ron ran to where he had entered the chamber from before.

"Here, it's this one!" he called, bending over to look at the tap engraved with the Slytherin serpent.

"So, how did you open it? Hermione asked, surveying the serpent below Ron's finger.

"Well," said Ron hesitantly, "Harry sort of, spoke parseltongue to it."

"I didn't think about that." said Hermione sounding defeated. She crinkled her eyebrows together, searching thoroughly through her mind for an alternative way to open the passage.

"It's alright." Said Ron firmly. "We've heard Harry do this before. We just need to make the sound that he makes. We can do this, Hermione."

"I don't know that sound, Ron." She told him, knowing she was of no help to his plan. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Let's hope so." Said Ron, leaning forward towards the sink.

Ron handed the broomstick to Hermione. He thought for a moment and then let out a sound of varying hissing noises, then stood back and waited patiently. Hermione watched silently, Myrtle floated above, watching intently.

"Again," Hermione told him. "Try it again, Ron."

Ron leaned forward and hissed to the tap again. This time he spoke shorter, quicker and deeper. Nothing happened.

"Damn it!" Ron threw his hands into the air, defeated.

"Don't stop, Ron!" Hermione told him. "Keep going, don't stop." She encouraged.

Ron exhaled his frustration and leaned into the sink and tried again. Still the sink did not change.

"Again!" Hermione told him.

Ron failed a forth time, and a fifth. Hermione strode quickly towards him. She placed a hand to his arm.

"Keep trying."

Ron tried again, and proved to be defeated a sixth time. He looked to Hermione and she nodded, urging him to go again. Ron leaned down and this time whispered slowly and precisely. The ground below their feet began to shake. Hermione's wide eyes looked up to Ron.

"You did it, Ron!" she said, beaming excitedly.

"Yeah." He managed to breathe out, overtaken with surprise.

The sink began to slowly lower itself into the ground. Moments later it had been fully submerged below the ground, and all that was left was a large open pipe that waited to take Ron and Hermione into the Chamber.

"So we just, jump into it?" Hermione asked.

Ron nodded, looking down into the long, dark pipe.

"Alright." Said Hermione. She took a deep breath and stepped towards the entrance.

"Good luck down there." Called Myrtle, who watched the two approaching the opening apprehensively.

"Thank you, Myrtle." Said Hermione, with great surprised. She smiled sweetly back to Myrtle. Hermione gave one last glance to Ron, and with the broomstick in hand she lunged herself into the pipe. Ron looked down after her, admiring her bravery. He smiled as he watched her disappear into the darkness.

"Alright, then." He nodded to Myrtle. She smiled at him before diving back into her toilet. Ron took one last glance around him and jumped feet first down to the Chamber.


	5. Chapter 5: The Cup and the Fang

Hey everyone! I just wanted to thank those of you who have have continued to return as I slowly make progress on this fanfic! Also, thank you to those of you who responses to the chapters. It means so much to me and I hope you're all enjoying it. I've been really busy over the past couple of days but you can expect a couple more chapters over the new few days to come. Thanks again, and enjoy!

Chapter 5- The Cup and the Fang

Ron landed with a hard thud at the bottom on the pipe. It was dark and damp feeling, just as he remembered it. His feet slid, shifting over the tiny bones of the deceased animals that had been scattered everywhere years before.

"Lumos." He mumbled as he searched for Hermione in the dark.

The light lit the small cellar like room to reveal a pale Hermione.

"This is awful." She murmured as bones crunched beneath her footsteps.

"It's okay," Ron assured her. "They end here."

Hermione lifted her wand and it too shone bright with light.

"C'mon, it's this way." Ron gestured.

They began to walk down the passage towards the Chamber. It was just as cold and eerie as the last time Ron walked down this tunnel. A faint dripping was coming from somewhere behind them. It was just uncomfortable enough to put Ron on edge. Hermione walked cautiously with her wand held out in front of her. Her eyes moved frantically across their path taking in their surroundings.

"Do you want me to carry the broom, Hermione?" Ron asked as he watched her pull it from being nudged under her arm to her hand out in front.

"No, I'm alright." She said in a very distracted sounding tone.

Ron thought that maybe she planned on using it as a weapon if for some reason she was caught off guard.

They proceeded into the darkness. Ron recognized the dark cave-like atmosphere. The last time he came across this spot, a large freshly shed snakeskin spanned across the entire pathway and laid another 10 feet along the wall. Now nothing remained but small bits of rubble and the occasional rat skull. They walked in silence with the periodic dripping and sporadic banging of the pipes until they began to come upon bigger and bigger bits of rocks. Finally, as Ron had anticipated, they had reached the rock wall made up of the broken concrete ceiling from Lockhart's failed spell with Ron's faulty old wand.

"This is from Lockhart's memory charm." Ron smiled to Hermione.

She laughed and walked forward towards the wall. She observed a small opening in the middle of the rubble. Ron walked to it, too. It was the very space he had cleared to allow Harry and Ginny to pass on their way out of the Chamber. Clearly, Ron and Hermione's bodies had grown to be much bigger than the space available for passage that had once suited a 12-year-old Harry. Hermione had seemingly come to the same conclusion as Ron because she aimed her wand to the pile of rocks that blocked their path.

"Step back." She told Ron, before firmly shouting "EXPULSO!"

The concrete exploded, flying everywhere as it shot powerfully from their path. A harsh rush of wind blew Ron's hair across his eyes as dust and pebbles whipped his cheeks. He spit out bits of the powdered remnants that blew across his lips. Hermione turned to him and smirked at the sight of his dirty face.

"Come here," she laughed as she brushed off his cheeks. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." Ron smiled as he dusted off her nose.

Hermione shoved her wand in her back pocket and took Ron's hand. He held his arm to his body to keep her close to him. Everything beyond the rubble was new to both of them.

"I think there's just a wall ahead, Ron." Hermione motioned ahead as they rounded a corner.

The light from Ron's wand illuminated two large entwined serpents that were carved into the dirty wall covered in mildew. Two emeralds on the head of each serpent sparkled as Ron held his wand to the wall. It looked to him as though their eyes were flickering devilishly at him as they danced in the wand light. He leaned towards the wall and slowly repeated the serpent's call that he had perfected in the bathroom. Slowly the walls began to rumble as they parted to reveal what was unmistakably the Chamber they were searching for.

"I think this means I'm fluent now." He told her before stepping through the opening.

The long Chamber was barely visible in the darkness that filled the room. There was not a single sound, or light in any direction. Ron could make out multiple large pillars as he approached with his wand held high. Hermione leaned the broomstick against one pillar and pulled out her wand again. It shone brightly as she held it boldly ahead of her. Ron felt her fingers searching for his hand again. He grasped her hand tightly as she leaned into him.

"Funny isn't it, how of all the times we've faced dangerous things, the most unsettling is this empty Chamber?" Hermione said slowly, trying to ease the tension.

Ron nodded, too occupied with his surroundings to respond. They proceeded to the end of the Chamber, passing sculptures of serpents that rivaled them in height.

"Might as well be their bloody common room." Said Ron as he shied away from another aggressive looking snake statue.

"Ron, do you see that sculpture? The face up ahead?" Hermione asked.

"I think, I think that's Slytherin…" exhaled Ron.

They surveyed the size of the statue from a distance. The modest light of their wands simply could not convey the enormity and detail of the chilling figure.

"Harry stood on top of that when he stabbed the basilisk, Ron. It must be right in front of us." She said as she released his hand and searched ahead. "It is, it's right here!" she called back to him.

Ron approached the silhouette he could see spread across the ground.

"That's disgusting!" he muttered as he approached the snake's skeleton. Ron thought that it must spread over 20 feet. The bones from its body laid perfectly untouched, providing a chillingly lifelike impression, which allowed Ron's imagination to wander to terrifying thoughts.

"Some of these fangs are probably 12 inches long!" Hermione determined as she held her wand to the head of the basilisk. "Poor Harry. That must have been horrible." she added, referring to the basilisk's bite Harry received.

She bent her knees and examined the fangs more closely.

"Well," said Ron, " we might as well get this over with. Have you got that cup, Hermione?"

She nodded and bent down to retrieve her purple beaded handbag from her sock. She began rummaging through it as Ron tucked his wand in his pocket and leaned down in search of the fang that would best destroy their next horcrux. At the front of the skull of the basilisk, Ron reached forward and took hold of a large fang, gripping it tightly before jerking it hard from the mouth of the snake. Hermione held out the cup and Ron took it in his hand, handing her the fang.

"No, Ron," Hermione said blankly, shaking her head. "I can't-"

"Yes, you can." He said warmly as he placed it in her hands.

They both knelt down to the ground and Ron placed the cup on the cold damp floor. Hermione got down to her knees apprehensively. She tossed her wand and handbag to the side and took the fang in both hands.

"Just stab the fang right into the cup." Ron coached her. He held his wand lit and extended in front of Hermione. "Ready? One, two, three…"

Hermione swiftly swung the down the fang with all the might she could muster. The fang plunged deep into the mouth of the cup and penetrated the metal as though it melted on contact. The light at the tip of Ron's want vanished and for a quick instant there was silence.

Suddenly there was a loud and horrific bang. Fire erupted all along the walls of the Chamber as the torches mounted from wall to wall exploded with fiery rage. Hermione screamed in agony as the deafening sound rang painfully in her ears, her high-pitched cry breaking as she exhausted her breath. Ron flung his arms around her torso, lifting her to her feet as he began to run. A large pool of water was rising from the deep fountain that had now become visible to them in the light of the fire. The flames spread angrily across the ceiling of the Chamber as if to engulf the face of the man carved into the wall, which stared down furiously upon them as they ran for the exit. His brow was furrowed and his long hair was blown back against the walls of the Chamber. Large statues of serpents revealed themselves to them in the light, lining the walls every 10 feet. It felt to Ron as though they were surrounding him and Hermione, enclosing them in the Chamber.

The cup spun in circles whistling like a teakettle waiting to explode. Ron pulled Hermione as he ran as hard as he could. Her body was slowing as she panted in exhaustion. He saw above them, a heavy stream of water chasing them. It was inescapable. Ron stopped immediately, pulling Hermione against him and cradling her in his arms. Their bodies dropped to concrete floor and Ron draped himself over her, shielding her balled up body. He buried his face and held his breath. A deep and livid growl erupted and shook the Chamber moments before the heavy pool of water crashed down over their bodies. It weighed heavily on Ron's neck and he squeezed Hermione tightly in his arms. The water wrathfully rushed over them and then slowly subsided. All at once a calm had broken over the Chamber. Ron lifted his head to see a dimly lit room as the low, fiery torches set the Chamber aglow.

"It's done. It's over." He said to Hermione as she lifted her head from his chest. "Are you okay?" he asked her. He wiped the wet hair from her eyes. They looked exhaustedly back to him.

"I'm fine." She smiled to Ron, before leaning her head back to his chest.

"You did it." He told her, brushing the rest of her hair from her face. "You were incredible!"

Hermione smiled to herself.

"Thanks." She said, taking Ron's hand in hers.

Ron stood up and helped pull Hermione to her feet. Drenched from head to toe in the water that had attacked them, they walked towards the Slytherin statue again. Ron wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but Salazar's large face now looked less aggressive than it had just moments before. He reached down and picked up his and Hermione's wands. He handed it to her after watching her stuff the small handbag back into her sock. They both looked down at the cup that had turned a burnt, blackened colour. Hermione picked it up turned her attention to the great basilisk's skull.

"Let's take some of those fangs with us." Said Hermione motioning to the large basilisk.

Ron turned to the skeleton of the serpent. In the commotion and the incredible force of the water that had rushed over them, somehow the skeleton had sat in the exact place it did before, unaffected and completely unscathed.


	6. Chapter 6: A First Kiss

"Let's put these in your bag until we get back up there, Hermione." Ron said, the basilisk's fangs piled in his arms.

She pulled out her bag again and held it wide open as Ron carefully placed each one inside. Hermione tightened the bag and stuffed it into her sock. Ron took her hand, running together towards the exit. Hermione found the broomstick that they had left against a pillar. She handed it to Ron.

"Here, you fly the broom." She told him, before standing back and allowing him to mount it.

Ron swung his leg over the broom and began to hover. He held his hand out to Hermione and helped pull her up onto the broom. Hermione wrapped her arms around his body, leaning her head to his back and sending Ron's heart racing. He wanted to turn and wrap his arms around her too, but he reminded himself of what was waiting for them above in the castle, and flew forward.

"Hold on tight." He said and he felt her nod her head in response.

For a moment they flew silently through the dark and into the passage. Ron's hair flew wildly around his forehead and Hermione's embrace kept him warm in the cold chamber. Minutes later they were flying straight up into the lavatory. They shot out of the pipe, blurring the bathroom into an indistinguishable picture. A silvery haze smeared in the corner of Ron's vision and he heard Hermione call "Hi Myrtleeeeee," as they sped from the room.

Ron slowed the broom as they reached the end of the corridor. They came to a soft slow stop and Ron put his feet to the ground. Hermione hopped down from the broom, her hair wind-whipped and strewn across her face. She pulled her handbag from her sock once more and stuck her hand deep inside it. She found the cup first and tossed to Ron. He examined the mangled, blackened horcrux before he tucked it inside his coat and looked back to Hermione. She had retrieved a handful of fangs and began handing them to him.

"Here," Hermione gestured to Ron after tucking away her handbag for a final time "Give some to me."

Ron passed some of the fangs off to Hermione, picked up the broom and they took off promptly down the hall. A heavy ground-shaking sound erupted from outside the castle like an angry crack of thunder.

"They're here, Ron." Breathed Hermione as she came to an abrupt stop.

"Keep running, Hermione. We have to get these up to the Room of Requirement." Ron told her.

Treading hastily up staircases and through the corridors, Ron and Hermione saw students hurrying around the castle.

"What is going on?" Hermione called up to Ron, who was running a few step a head of her.

"No idea, but my guess is that someone found out Harry's returned to Hogwarts."

Ron turned to Hermione to see that she was following closely behind. They rounded a corner and Ron could see the Room of Requirement ahead. Slowing to catch their breath, they approached the Room and stumbled upon a bewildered looking Harry.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" Harry shouted to them, throwing his arms in the air.

He walked towards Ron and Hermione who were both relieved to see him safely in front of them.

"Chamber of Secrets," Ron told him.

"Chamber- What?" Harry looked back and forth between them both.

"It was Ron, all Ron's idea! Wasn't it absolutely brilliant?" she said smiling up to him.

Ron shrugged his shoulders, smiling modestly. He, Harry and Hermione walked to the Room of Requirement together while they explained his idea about the basilisk's fangs. Ron pulled the cup from inside his coat and they shared the story of Hermione destroying it.

"Genius," Harry told them. The concern that had been overwhelming Harry tonight seemed to ease just slightly as he spoke.

As they walked down the staircase to their DA refuge, Harry explained to them what had happened while they had been in the Chamber. The castle had begun to shake under its efforts to deny entry to the advancing Death Eaters. The three friends knew that the castle was about to be penetrated. They exchanged apprehensive glances with every blood-curdling scream and bang below them, but pressed forward with their responsibility.

"We're going to have to get everyone in here out, to allow the Room of Requirement to become the room we need it to be." Harry explained to Ron and Hermione. They nodded as they took in all that Harry told them.

As the few people remaining in the room headed for the exit, it suddenly occurred to Ron that there were nearly one hundred House Elves still in the kitchen below. A horrible sensation washed over Ron as his memory of Dobby lying limp in Harry's arms came flooding back to him.

"Hang on a moment!" Ron said sharply, "We've forgotten someone!"

Hermione spun around to look at him; worry had contorted the expression on her face.

"Who?" she asked.

"The House Elves. They'll be all alone in the kitchen!" Ron said urgently to them.

"You mean we should get them fighting?" Harry asked looking confused.

Ron shook his head urgently. "No," he told them seriously. "I mean we should tell them to get out. We don't want any more Dobbies, do we? We can't order them to die for us-"

Ron was interrupted by the sound of fangs clattering on the floor. He looked over to see Hermione, who met Ron's gaze. A burning sensation slowly ignited in the pit of his stomach. The basilisk fangs were scattered on the floor all around where she had just stood. For a couple lingering seconds, he stood watching her rush towards him. He tried to breath in deeply. He felt as though his heart had begun to tremble. His hands dropped the broomstick and the fangs in his arms fell to the floor, rolling in different directions. Ron didn't think about what was happening, he just stood watching her until finally, he felt her body collide into his. Her arms reached up and wrapped tightly around his neck. Her fingers grazed the back of his neck and his eyelids fell slowly as she pulled his lips to hers. He felt heat spreading over his cheeks as they turned a warm pink colour. He wrapped his arms around her body and passionately pulled her against him. His fingers spread wide across her back, and she softly brushed her lips against his. His hands shook gently as they held her affectionately for the first time. Ron tightened his embrace around her and lifted her off her feet. Their hearts beat against the other's chest. Hermione's fingers spread across the back of Ron's neck and twirled through his hair as her lips pressed into his with a subtle urgency. Her tender kiss stole his breath.

"Is this the moment?" Ron heard a distant voice ask.

Hermione slowly pulled away from him, their lips gently parting. He opened his eyes and hers were looking right into them. He didn't put her down. He held her against his chest and looked deeply into her big brown eyes. Now that Hermione was finally wrapped tightly in his arms, he didn't want to let her go.

"Oi! There's a war going on here!" Harry yelled at them impatiently.

"I know, mate," Ron said back to him. Hermione smiled as she stared into his eyes. He reluctantly pulled his from her to turn to Harry. "So it's now or never, isn't it?" he told him before returning to Hermione's gaze. She stayed locked in his arms, looking adoringly up to him.

"D'you think you could just- just hold it until we've got the diadem?"

"Yeah-right-sorry-" Ron said, smirking to Hermione as he lowered her to her feet, their fingers entwined.

They gathered the fangs as he stole glances of her blushing face. Although he wanted to stay there in that moment with her, the sooner the war was over, the sooner they could be together, safe and alone. They walked towards the exit and Ron took her hand. Their lips met for one more quick moment before they passed through the door.


	7. Chapter 7: The Lost Weasley

Ron followed Hermione through the tunnel as they crawled out from below the Whomping Willow. He glanced behind him and saw Harry emerge into the dark of the night. Crossing the grounds at the front of the castle, they made their way through the unnerving silence. Images of the past few hours flickered through Ron's thoughts. The night's events had begun to feel incredibly surreal, and it had been as long as it was painful. He squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to blink away the images flashing through his mind. Ron looked to his friend in concern. Harry's brow had furrowed under the unwarranted guilt he was carrying. Ron knew Harry was considering offering himself to Voldemort to stop another life from being taken. Hermione's side-glances at Harry told Ron that she had the same concern.

While Ron knew deep down that Harry refusing to surrender to Voldemort's request was what Harry needed to do, he understood Harry's desire to prevent more sorrow. It overwhelmed Ron to revisit thoughts on what he had just seen in the Shrieking Shack. He was so confused about what had happened during the final moments in Severus Snape's life. There were too many thoughts rushing through his mind however, to try to make sense of it at the moment. He only knew that if for any reason he felt the way Harry was feeling right now, he would have probably come to the same conclusion that Harry had, too. He reached over to Harry and squeezed his shoulder. Harry nodded to Ron, acknowledging the gesture.

They were down another horcrux, Ron thought. And although he tried to reflect on their progress optimistically, it was hard to focus on what needed to be done. The strain on his body from the fatigue that rushed over him was a constant reminder of how urgently he needed sleep. Yet Fred's vacant stare continued to break his concentration. A painful twinge from behind his abdomen knocked the air from Ron's lungs. His mind felt cloudy, and his heart weighed heavily remembering the moment he looked up to see his brother, lifeless. Ron closed his eyes again, shaking the images from his head.

"Kill." He heard Voldemort's voice echo in his head, as he was overcome visions of other dead students.

Ron slowed his pace in an attempt collect himself. He frantically searched his mind for a comforting thought just before feeling delicate, cold fingers link into his. Ron opened his eyes to find Hermione watching him intently. She didn't say anything to Ron, but she looked to him as though she knew exactly what he was thinking and that was all he needed.

"Where is everyone?" Hermione whispered as they approached the stone steps to the entrance of the castle.

The entrance hall was empty and silent, but every beautiful inch of it had been damaged. It was nearly unrecognizable in some places. To their right, the quiet murmuring of voices trickled from the Great Hall. Ron looked to Harry and Hermione then began to walk to wards the entrance. When he reached the doorway, Ron felt as though he was paralyzed by what he was seeing. The faculty and students had begun bringing the dead to the Great Hall. They were placed in a line down the stone floor, covered with blankets and surrounded by loved ones. He looked around at the deceased witches and wizards, many whose faces were familiar to him. Then gathered at the far end, Ron saw a group of tearful redheads and knew the rest of his family were now feeling the loss he had been carrying with him. As he glanced behind him and noticed that Harry and Hermione were both frozen in the doorway.

Ron began walking forwards without realized he had meant to. He was surprised to find that his legs could support him. They felt unstable below his weight. Ginny turned her head and saw Ron walking towards her. Their eyes met and Ron felt incredibly distraught when he noticed her swollen red eyes. Her chest was blotchy and her lips had turned a deep shade of red. She took deep heaving breaths and wiped strands of hair away from her tear streaked cheeks. Ron noticed Hermione walk past him and meet Ginny with her arms held open. Ginny's face disappeared against Hermione's shoulder. She sniffled as Hermione brushed back her hair and squeezed her tightly.

Ron approached the rest of his family and Percy turned to him, wrapping his arm around Ron's shoulders. Charlie clapped his hand to Ron's back. Ron's knees became weak and Charlie held him around his torso to keep him from falling. Arthur walked over to his sons and pulled them tightly into his arms. Tears fell from Ron's eyes as Arthur told the boys he loved them very much. Ron peered over his father's shoulders and looked to the ground where George was crying heavily, kneeling at Fred's head. His mother leaned over Fred's chest whimpering, her hand brushing over Fred's hair. Arthur stepped back from his sons and Ron turned to hug Bill and Fleur before walking over to his mother and George. Ron got to his knees and placed a hand on his mother's back. She lifted herself from her fallen child and fell into the arms of her youngest boy. Ron wrapped his arms around her and she held him tightly.

"I love you, Mum." He told her.

Molly sat back and admired Ron's face. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Oh, Ron," she sighed "I love you too, dear. You're a good man." She said smiling through her teary eyes.

She pulled him into another embrace as Ginny kneeled on the other side of her. Molly took Ginny's hand and held Ron's hand with the other. Ron turned to George and hugged him as well. George's body shook as he wept looking down on his twin. It was bizarre to try to conceive of life without Fred. Ron thought it must be impossible for George to try to think of a life without his twin. Their family suddenly felt absent to Ron and a wave of nausea rushed over him. He began to cry harder as the shock of what he was seeing wore off, acknowledging the reality of his departed older brother.

Ron stood up, looking around hazily for a place to sit down. He couldn't bear to look into any more crying faces. Ginny stood up and took his hand. Ron wrapped his arm around her head and pulled her to his chin. They shared a great, heaving cry and Ron told her that he loved her. She nodded her head and told him she loved him too. He kissed the top of her head before letting her return to their mum. All the Weasley's stood over Fred, but Ron caught sight of Hermione standing over a body on the other side of his family. She turned to see him looking at her, the tips of her fingers covering her mouth. She shook her head gently and eyes filled with sadness.

Ron peered passed his siblings and saw that lying on the ground were Tonks and Lupin. He walked slowly towards here and she rushed to him as he tried to move. He swayed slightly on his uneasy feet. Hermione caught Ron's body in a warm embrace. He leaned his head into her neck and cried.

"I'm so sorry, Ron." She whispered as her hands ran comfortingly over his back.

He nodded as he stood up straight, looking back to Tonks and Lupin. Hermione watching him affectionately cradled his hands in hers. She brought them to her lips and kissed them softly. He watched as she touched him so lovingly and felt as though his feelings for her intensified in that moment. Her eyes were bloodshot and watery. They looked more tired than he had seen them all week. Ron pulled her back into an embrace as he gasped for air through his subsiding sobs. Hermione placed her hands to either side of his cheeks and wiped his falling tears away with her thumbs. He leaned forward and placed his lips to hers. Her eyes closed and they lingered together wrapped in each other's arms.

When Hermione finally pulled away she ran her hand over the back of Ron's head. She pulled it down towards her and placed a kiss to his forehead.

"Why don't we go over to Madame Pomfrey? It looks like she's got some hot tea." Hermione offered. "I think your mum could use a cup, too."

"Let me 'elp you." Said Fleur turning to them.

They returned with tea for all the Weasley's. Hermione was helping Ron's mum to her feet and they hugged as she handed her some tea. Ron passed off cups to his dad and Percy before taking one to George.

"Alright?" asked Ron. He handed the steaming cup to George.

George nodded his head. "Just need to sit down, I think."

"Me too." Ron told him. He looked over to Hermione who walked towards him and handed him one of her cups. Ron took the cup in one hand and took her hand in the other. They walked to the side of the Great Hall where they found a spot to sit and drink their tea.

"When did this happen?" George pointed with the cup in hand to Ron's, whose hand held Hermione's. George gave a full wipe to his face with his free hand.

"Tonight." Ron smirked as he looked to the window and realized it was no longer nighttime. He could see that dawn would soon break through the darkness.

"Well, we didn't see that one coming, did we?" teased George. Ron was glad to hear a bit of humor in George's voice.

To his left, Ron saw Neville approaching them looking somber, hands in his pockets and head bowed. He made his way over and glanced between the two brothers.

"So sorry about Fred you two." He told them. The words seemed difficult for him to say.

"Thanks Neville." They both responded.

He took a seat on the other side of George and Ron listened as Neville offered comforting words to them about how great of a friend Fred was. It felt nice to talk about him and he and Hermione listened closely as Neville and George spoke. He listened for a while until his attention was broken by Hermione's voice.

"Ron, do you see Harry?" she whispered quietly trying not to interrupt Neville. Her words gripped his attention. It was strange that Harry hadn't been over to the Weasley's the entire time since they had returned to the Great Hall. Where had he been, Ron wondered nervously. His eyes searched frantically around the Hall. Panicked, Ron stood quickly to take in a better view of the hall.

"What is it?" George asked when he noticed concern on Ron and Hermione's faces.

"It's Harry, we don't see him." Hermione told him. "Ron, you don't think-"

"I don't know." Ron replied, shaking his head. He tried not to think about that.

They all jumped to their feet and began hurrying among the crowd of people.

"You lot alright?" called Arthur when he noticed the shuffle that had erupted.

Professor McGonagall approached them, curious as to what the commotion was about.

"Dad, it's Harry. We don't know where he is." Ron told him.

Ron saw Ginny spin around and look to him. Arthur glanced at them all before turning to Professor McGonagall. Her eyes widened with concern as she looked back to Arthur.

"Oh dear." She exhaled.


	8. Chapter 8: Harry's Fall

"Dad," cried Ginny. She rushed forward towards the group that had gathered around Arthur. "We have to go search for him! What if he's hurt, or if he's been found-"

"No, no," He cut off his daughter. "I want you to stay right here, Ginny."

"Dad-" Ron began before he, too was stopped by Arthur. Their father slowly raised his hand as he tried to calm everyone around him.

"I think perhaps it's best if, for the time being you remain here." Arthur held both hands up this time as objections erupted around him. "Ron, you've been magnificent," He turned and looked to Hermione "you all have. But you have to understand that we have everyone's safety to be concerned about. We will find Harry," Arthur assured them as he looked to Ginny, "but let's first, let the Order decide the best strategy for going about this. I can't send you all aimlessly into a potentially dangerous situation."

"Hogwarts Faculty," called McGonagall over the crowd that filled the Great Hall "if you would, please gather at the entrance of the Great Hall." Her voice rang clear as silence fell over the students and parents gathered before her.

Hermione turned to Ron. She looked as helpless as he felt.

"He wouldn't go to Voldemort." Ron told Hermione in hopes of offering comfort, though even he wasn't sure he believed his words.

"No, I just saw him not that long ago. He told me he wasn't going to Voldemort." Neville added.

"You saw him?" Hermione asked, spinning around wildly to survey Neville.

"He was just outside. He was walking- said it was part of the plan." He told her.

Ron stared blankly at Neville.

"What plan?" Hermione asked looking to Ron before he had the chance to.

"No idea." he told her. His brow furrowed as he lingered on Neville's last words. 'All part of the plan?' Ron wondered, both concerned and hurt. Harry hadn't intentionally kept any plan from them the entire time they had spent searching for horcruxes. What did he need to keep from them after all this time?

"He just said 'kill the snake.' But he said you two knew about that. You two knew about that, right?" Neville asked as he began to share Ron and Hermione's concern.

"He told you to kill the snake? Hermione asked slowly, sounding defeated; Neville nodded. "He went to him, Ron." Hermione said breathlessly. An empty feeling enveloped him. Ron stared blankly passed their faces, looking into nothing.

"Yeah." He sighed.

Ginny, who had been standing silently, and looked as though she had been overcome with shock suddenly cried out. "No!" "Why would he do that?"

No one had an answer for Ginny. They all stood dumbfounded by the realization that Harry had given himself up after fighting for so long. Hermione held Ginny's hand.

"Harry said kill the snake. We've got to trust him. We've got to kill the snake." Ron told them. Even though he hadn't told them anything about it, Harry had a plan. Whatever it was, it was clear to Ron that their part in his plan was to see to it that the snake would meet its end.

"I'll go tell the order." Said George as he glanced to Kingsley.

"Alright," said Ron, "we don't know where this snake is. It's probably with Voldemort because that's where it has been all night. Either way, we're going to have to get close enough to stab it with one of these." Ron pulled a fang from his coat pocket to show Ginny and Neville.

"Is that a snake's fang?" asked Luna walking up from behind Ginny and Neville.

"Yes, and we have plenty of them." Said Hermione as she withdrew fangs from both pockets of her jacket.

Neville stated down to the fang then looked up to Ron, nodding with determination.

Hermione held a fang out to Neville. He reached forward to take it but froze before his hand could grasp the long curved fang. A deep booming voice harshly shook the castle.

"Harry Potter is dead." Said the voiced with ridicule and satisfaction.

"No," Ron heard Hermione whimper. He stood in disbelief.

"He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him." Bellowed Voldemort.

"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Neville yelled loudly to the people standing around him.

"We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone." Voldemort called out.

His words created a sudden charge of bodies rushing for the corridor, as the witches and wizards ran eagerly from the Great Hall. Ginny dashed through the crowd and out of Ron's sight. He saw his father darting through the hoards of people trying to catch up with her. He soon became lost in the sea of people. Ron felt Hermione grab ahold of his arm and he pulled her through the crowd and close to him. He took her hand firmly in his and he led them briskly through the sea rushing bodies and worried faces.

Voldemort's voice continued to reverberate through the castle but his words were unclear to Ron in the midst of the panic.

"Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared." Voldemort called.

They broke through the doorway and into the entrance hall. Ron heard his father calling Ginny's name at the front of the crowd. Ahead of everyone was McGonagall. She held her robes from the ground in her tightly clenched fists as she sprinted towards the exit. Ron and Hermione ran fast, following them out of the castle. Before Ron caught a glance of what was waiting outside of the castle, a piercing shriek ripped through the sound of people hastily moving in the hallway. Ron knew his fear was being realized as McGonagall's painful grieving call silenced the castle. His legs slowed to a crawl involuntarily. Hermione's grasp pulled Ron forward. Her eyes had filled with tears and she was taking great, irregular breaths as she continued to run.

"NO!" Ron heard the scream of his little sister. His vision became blurry. He felt the brisk morning air against his cheeks before he realized he has stepped outside. Morning had begun to break and darkness would soon part in the sky. Ron looked to see a large group of Death Eaters before him. His eyes moved along the horde, not sure of what he was searching for. The screams from his younger sister continued to fill the Hogwart's ground.

"No," Hermione said slowly, dropping Ron's hand from hers. "No!"

Ron turned to her and saw tears falling quickly from her eyes. They ran down her cheeks, leaving heavy streaks in the dirt that covered her face. She held her arms wrapped around her body and she cried out Harry's name. Ron nervously followed her gaze, knowing what he would find at the end of it. His eyes landed upon Hagrid, who stood near Voldemort, but nonetheless alive. His trembling hands held a body so limp, that Ron didn't need to question what he saw. His heart sank as he stared at his best friend, who's body looked as though it had been disgracefully abused.

"Harry!" Hermione cried loudly through her tears. Ron was overwhelmed with sadness as he listened to her cries. But more than sadness, he felt angered. His emotions pooled inside him, confusing him and beating down his spirit. Ron was unsure of what to do. He felt helpless.

"HARRY!" He began calling out. Ron yelled at the top of his lungs again and again. Hermione cried for him as well. Their voices were soon drowned out by the calls of other students and professors but Ron continued to call for his friend. He wanted to scream out every breath of air in his lungs that he would kill all who were responsible for Harry's death, but all he could say was "Harry."

"SILENCE!" Voldemort roared over the cries. "Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing ever but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!" he shouted.

Ron wanted to spit on him for trying to besmirch Harry in his death.

"HE BEAT YOU!" Ron yelled back to Voldemort with utter disgust in his tone. He looked to the grass where Hagrid had placed Harry peacefully.

Yelling sounded all around Ron again as friends defended Harry's honor. Voldemort began to speak and Ron in his daze noticed Neville rushing forward. Voldemort raised his wand and with one subtle flick of his wand, Neville was knocked to the ground. As Voldemort approached Neville, Ron looked around to see if anyone was prepared to help him. Voldemort however, simply looked down upon Neville and began to speak. Ron couldn't make out the words Voldemort spoke, but it was only a short exchange before Ron heard Neville call out "Dumbledore's Army!" It was exactly what Ron needed to hear. Neville's brave call reignited the fight in Ron. Adrenalin began to course through him, his heart racing, hands shaking.

Voldemort's wand ripped through the air with rage. A window from high above shattered and from it slowly drifted the Sorting Hat and everyone watched silently.

"There will be no more sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. Them emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone." Voldemort called out to everyone, who watched uncomfortably as Neville stood before him. The Death Eaters raised their wands to the crowd standing in front of the castle as Voldemort approached Neville. Locking him in place, Voldemort positioned the sorting hat atop Neville's head and set it ablaze. Hermione gasped loudly and drew her wand. Students began to scream as they watched the hat on Neville's head go up in flames. Ron saw Hermione's wand held in front of her and looked to the Death Eaters to ensure that no one had spotted her. But his attention was pulled from him as he saw in the distance, Giants and hundreds of people penetrating the grounds and advancing towards the castle. Ron looked back to Harry's body, knowing that he now faced the final stretch in their war. He knew that he could not fail his friend. His eyes rested upon Harry for a split second, before Ron saw Harry sit up and pull the invisibility cloak over himself. Ron's heart leaped in excitement and disbelief.

"Hermione!" Ron grabbed her shoulder and spun her to see Harry, who was no longer there. "He's alive!"


	9. Chapter 9: The Final Battle

"What?" Hermione exclaimed enthusiastically. A smile broke over her face in astonishment. Yells from the distance drifted up towards the castle. Death Eaters turned to see the advancing crowd. Voldemort looked over his shoulder as his followers began to disperse across the grounds. Neville broke free from Voldemort's curse and knocked the hat from his head. Ron ran towards Neville and saw as he approached, Neville grasping the Sword of Gryffindor, drawn from inside the hat. Ron's heart leaped. Neville lifted the sword and swung it clean across Nagini's neck.

"He did it!" Hermione cried. She raised her wand to shoot a protective shield between Neville and Voldemort. A bright flash of light flew towards Neville before Hermione began her spell but stopped dead in front of him.

Ron laughed with excitement. He looked around wildly for any sign of Harry but his friend remained invisible. Voldemort yelled with rage at the sight of his beloved snake that lay decapitated before him. Neville looked to Ron, holding the sword high in victory.

"Come on, Neville!" Hermione yelled to him as she began to move up the steps of the castle. Ron looked across the grounds and began to see familiar faces from Hogsmeade. Others he believed to be family members of students who had come to help in the battle. Centaurs had emerged from the Dark Forest and were making their way up the grounds with the others. They proceeded forwards, pushing the Death Eaters closer and closer to the castle until their efforts had penetrated it. Ron held Hermione's hand as they ran through the mess of people, firing spells behind them. House Elves had entered the corridors, violently attacking ankles and legs.

To his side, Ron could see his parents and siblings courageously battling Thicknesse and Yaxley. They were evidently, successful in managing to restrain them, so Ron looked around trying to find Voldemort. Ron spotted McGonagall approaching the Great Hall, where Voldemort had entered firing curses towards her. Slughorn and Kingsley followed closely behind her.

A sudden loud blast knocked Ron from his feat. He could not find the source of his blast but behind Hermione was a quickly advancing Death Eater.

"Ron, are you alright?" she said looking down to him. He nodded waving her attention to the hooded man walking briskly towards her. Hermione spun around whipping her wand through the air. The man was shot hard into Death Eaters who stood behind him, knocking them to the ground and clearing a path from her to Fenrir Greyback. Ron staggered to his feet and stood up straight to see Greyback staring at Hermione. His wand was lowered, but his sharp teeth were exposed. He began to take large advancing strides towards her. Ron threw an arm around her waist and pulled her from Greyback's path. He stepped forward and held his wand high. Suddenly, Greyback was knocked sideways, kncocking him from his track. He stumbled over his feet as he attempted to regain balance. Ron turned to see Neville running to Ron's defense.

"Mate," said Ron smiling, and bewildered.

"Don't mention it." Said Neville as he shot a blast of light at Greyback again. Ron followed Neville's lead, prompting Greyback to retaliate. Hermione had noticed Luna and Ginny in a duel with Bellatrix and ran off to help. Ron saw her leave their side but remained focused on Greyback. He became more aggressive and enraged as he was knocked from side to side by Ron and Neville's curses. Sweat broke across Ron's forehead as he moved quickly and carefully while concentrating hard on his wand work. Finally a curse hit Greyback, knocking him to the ground unconscious.

"Did you do that?" Ron asked as they ran forward to examine him.

"No idea." Said Neville holding out his wand. "Incarcerous!" he muttered. Ropes shot from the ends of Neville's wand and bound Greyback tightly as he lay on the floor. "Just to be safe."

"I've got to tell you, Neville." Said Ron watching Neville work. "You've really been something of an asset to the Army tonight!"

"Thanks, Ron." Neville beamed to his friend.

They ran to the entrance of the Great Hall. All around the room, Ron saw small clusters of people dueling dark wizards. Hermione and Ginny stood grasping each other's hands as they watched Molly engage in a duel with Bellatrix. Ron looked directly across the room and found Voldemort dueling Professor McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn. His attention fired back and forth, watching with the hundreds of others who filled the hall. He stood nervously as his mother shot curses towards the taunting witch. Only moments later Ron heard Bellatrix threaten his mother's life. He began to dash towards the women but after a few strides, Molly, fueled by Bellatrix's mocking of Fred's death, shot one final forceful curse and hit Bellatrix square in the chest. Before taking one last breath Bellatrix looked around, realized she had been defeated, then fell to the ground.

Ron continued running forward to wards his family. He reached them just as Voldemort let out a yell that shook the hall and startled all that surrounded him. Ron ducked as he reached for Hermione. He turned to see Voldemort standing tall with his arm stretched out and wand aimed at Molly.

"Molly!" Arthur cried just as a bellowing "PROTEGO!" erupted from the center of the Hall and Harry threw off his invisibility cloak.

Hermione's hands squeezed Ron tightly. He hugged her and they both laughed in excitement as hundreds of people began to cheer and call Harry's name in disbelief. Ron looked happily over to his family. His brothers clapped and cheered and Arthur held a hysterical Ginny. Molly wiped tears from her eyes and Percy wrapped an arm around her.

Voldemort and Harry stormed toward each other. Both held their wands raised to the other.

"I don't want anyone else to try and help." Harry called out to the room. Ron felt Hermione's embrace tighten around her.

"It's okay." Ron told her quietly.

"There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me." Harry yelled to Voldemort. Murmurs broke out over the words Harry spoke but Ron did not take his eyes from Harry. Voldemort listened to Harry speak, humoring him before what Voldemort knew would be Harry's end. He dismissed Harry casually however, holding his confidence in himself above all who stood around them. Ron wondered if others looked as anxious as he felt, but did not dare to look away from his friend. Harry continued to speak to Voldemort calmly and Ron noticed Voldemort growing more and more agitated.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours! Snape was Dumbledore's. Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother!" Harry told Voldemort. A sneer spread over his face as he listened to Harry. Hermione exhaled, shaking her head as she began to understand Snape's gesture in the Shrieking Shack.

"Of course." She whispered to herself. Ron looked to her baring a lost expression. "Snape loved Harry's mother, Ron. He went to Dumbledore when Voldemort was after her and her family."

Ron stood astonished by her realization. Snape caring for someone was unimaginable in itself, but the fact that it was Harry's mother that Snape had cared for was beyond anything Ron could have dreamed. What's more was that after all the time they had spent believing Snape had been out to try to kill Harry, he had really been protecting them all. Ron looked back to Harry who was explaining to Voldemort the very truth that Hermione had revealed to Ron.

"Snape never beat Dumbledore!" Harry laughed.

"But then Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort mocked, but failed to appear as confident as he had hoped. It was clear that Voldemort was slowly beginning to see Harry as the worthy opponent he had never expected him to be.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy." Harry smirked. Hermione nodded as he spoke. "But you're too late. You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him."

Harry brandished the wand in his hand, and Ron's eyes followed its movements.

"I am the true master of the Elder wand." Harry's words were final.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The words exploded in Ron's ears like the sound of a cannon. They cut his breath and he grasped for air as he watched the light soar through the Hall towards Harry. Harry sent a disarming charm straight back down Voldemort's path. Their spells collided transforming the streams of light into a bright golden, glowing fire.

"Come on, Harry." Ron breathed.

The wand in Voldemort's hand spun out from his fingertips. His arms flew back and his body was left peacefully hallow, as it crumbled backwards to the ground. The Hall was still for a brief moment, and then it burst with excitement.

With Hermione's hand in his, Ron ran towards Harry. He let go as he guided her directly into Harry. She spread her arms wide and wrapped them around his neck and Ron came up behind her pulling them both into a long embrace.

"You did it! You did it, Harry!" Ron heard Hermione say through all the cheers. Hands from every direction were patting Harry's back and people laughed as the sun shone bright against the windows. Ron kissed Hermione's head and stood in the middle of the commotion with his arms held firmly around his friends.

Ron walked back to the Great Hall with Charlie after helping transfer bodies of departed heroes to a temporary resting place. A beautiful sunrise had spread across the morning sky. Light filled the castle and made Ron feel at ease. The House tables had been placed back down in the Hall and the House Elves had provided juice, tea and toast. Madam Pomfrey, along with a few helping hands, was going from table to table checking injuries and providing assistance to those in need. Harry was surrounded by a large group of people who were shaking his hands, crying and praising him.

"There's mum and dad." Charlie nodded towards the table where the Weasley's had gathered. Hermione, who was sitting next to George and Neville stood and walked towards them.

Ron stopped when they met halfway and she wrapped her arms fondly around his body. Hermione looked up to Ron, smiling. Her face was filthy, and she had a small cut on her cheek. Her hair had fallen out from the knot at the back of her head. Her eyes were sparkling. Ron put his hands to either side of her face and kissed her. Hermione's lips spread into a smile before she kissed him back.

When they broke apart he took her hand and they walked together to find a space at a table. They both sat straddling the bench, looking towards each other. Ron filled a goblet with juice right to the rim and swallowed it back before immediately refilling it. Hermione laughed as she watched him.

"I'm hungry." Ron laughed, too.

"I know." She laughed as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"I'm going to sit here all day and eat." He grinned, passing her a piece of toast. They talked and laughed through mouthfuls of food as the sun shone warm against their faces.

After several pieces of toast, Ron and Hermione were approached by an invisible voice.

"It's me." It whispered.

Hermione smiled and turned to look at the invisible Harry that hovered beside them.

"Will you come with me?" Harry asked.

"'Course," said Ron. "About time we got some bloody quiet around here." He smirked. Hermione stood up from the table and Ron followed after her. He looked around quickly and saw Ginny, her head leaned against their mum's shoulder in exhaustion. They all shared laughs as they banged their goblets together. Ron smiled as he watched his family, together and finally safe. There was still one less Weasley at the table however, and even in the most joyous occasion he couldn't deny the grief of that reality.

Hermione watched Ron as he looked towards his family. She took his hand and he smiled softly to her.

"Come on." He said, nodding in the direction of their invisible friend, and they followed him from the Great Hall.


	10. Chapter 10: One Last Visit To Gryffindor

Ron, Harry and Hermione left Dumbledore's office after Harry had finished talking with Dumbledore's portrait. As they walked along the corridor, Harry waved his newly repaired wand through the air. He pointed it to the wooden frame of a portrait that had been knocked to the ground and cracked. With a quick flick, the wood sealed its cracks.

"That feels better, doesn't it?" Hermione smiled to Harry.

"It feels loads better." He told her, sounding satisfied.

Ron looked down the corridor. The walls and floors looked to be coated in a blanket of dust, but for the first time in hours everything was still. There was complete silence beyond them.

"Well, now what?" Ron asked, turning to see Harry and Hermione.

"Sleep." Said Harry. They laughed and Hermione covered her mouth as she yawed.

"Gryffindor?" she suggested.

Harry nodded and they made their way up to the tower. They came across Seamus on their way to the Common Room, who had just finished collected his belongings from their dormitory and was able to give them the password. When they passed through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor Tower, it felt as though nothing had changed. The Common Room had remained untouched throughout the battle and the large, comfy armchairs beckoned Ron towards them. He slumped down into the closest chair and leaned his head back. He saw Harry take the seat next to him before turning his attention to Hermione. She ran her hand over the tapestries hung in the tower as though she hadn't seen them in years.

"We would have been working on our N.E.W.T.'s right now, you know." She said smiling subtly to herself.

"Ya, it's weird to think of, really." Ron said back to her.

"Remember the first night we got here?" she asked as she surveyed the room. Harry sat quietly but nodded. "Feels like just yesterday." She spoke softly while reminiscing.

Ron heaved himself from the chair. His body moved slowly and his eyes stung every second they stayed open. He followed her gaze and examined the room. It really was just as magical as the first time he saw it. He had just forgotten after all these years, exactly how incredible the castle was. Hermione leaned her head to his shoulder.

"Let's head up to the dormitory?" he said, finally.

Ron lead Harry and Hermione up the steps to the familiar room where he and the four other boys spent their nights as Hogwarts students. Ron opened the door and saw his four-poster preserved perfectly for him; curtains pulled back, blankets pulled neatly into place. He walked straight towards the bed.

Hermione stepped out of her shoes and pulled off her coat. She crawled onto Neville's bed. Her body fell softly onto the mattress and she buried her cheek into the pillow. Harry walked past Ron and sat down on the edge of his bed. He pulled off his shoes and looked up to Ron.

"Well, g'night then." He laughed and crawled beneath his blankets.

"Yeah," Ron laughed as he pulled back the sheets and flopped down onto his own bed. He kicked off his shoes and covered himself in the warm blankets. He instantly felt relaxed. His body felt like it was sinking into his mattress and warmth spread across his body. Ron's eyes glanced slowly over the pattern on his scarlet curtains; illuminated by the warm sunlight as he began to drift in and out of sleep. Harry's breathing had become heavy and Ron knew Harry had already fallen into a slumber. He turned to Neville's bed and saw Hermione looking back at him. Her arms cradled the pillow beneath her head and her cheek rested gently against it. The sun shone across the room and fell over her. He thought that she looked warm in the light. Ron smiled to her and she smiled back through squinted eyes. He wanted to her to come lay next to him but he was too tired to tell her so, and instead his eyelids fell heavily over his eyes and he drifted off watching her lay in the sun.

"Ron," he heard his name being called from a distance. "Ron!" he heard it again.

His eyes opened slowly and he became blinded by the light that filled their dormitory. Ron grabbed his pillow and wrapped it up around his face to cover his eyes. Exhaustion throbbed at Ron's forehead that was accompanied by a short wave of nausea.

"Harry? Hermione?" the voice called.

"I think it's Ginny." Ron heard Hermione say, groggily.

Ron stretched his arm across his eyes to shield it from the sunlight.

"Ginny?" he called back.

All was quiet for a moment before Ginny burst through the door to the dormitory.

"We've been looking everywhere for you." Ginny said sounding winded.

Ron looked up, squinting through the brightness and saw Ginny standing in the doorway.

"We're going to go home, Ron." She said smiling.

Ron gazed over to Hermione, who laid motionless with her hand over eyes. He turned his head to the bed on the other side of him. Harry had not even been awakened by the commotion. Ginny walked over to the window beside Ron's bed and picked up the jug of water kept for students through the night. She filled the cup placed beside it and held it out for her brother. Ron sat up and took the cup from her.

"What time is it?" Ron asked as he raised the glass to his mouth.

"Noon," Ginny told him.

"Harry." Ron said in between gulps, trying to wake him up. "Harry!" Ron said more loudly this time, but Harry remained sleeping peacefully. Ron lifted his pillow and tossed it forcefully at Harry. His eyes shot open and focused on Ron.

"What?" said an irritated Harry.

"Going home, mate." Ron told him, smiling. "Get up!"

Ron laid back down in his bed, trying to muster up enough energy to stand, but proved to be defeated by his exhaustion. Ginny walked with the jug of water over to Harry and filled a glass for him, too. Hermione slid off the edge of the bed and stood up, stretching her arms as high as they would reach. Ron looked to her and held out the cup of water for her to drink.

"Thanks," she said quietly, taking the cup in her hand as Ron sat up to make room for her on his bed. He leaned back against the headboard and watched her sip from the cup. She sat down facing him and he took her hand.

"How long have we been asleep for?" Harry asked as he sat up in his bed. He rubbed his eyes and massaged his temples in attempt to ease the discomfort of his sleep deprivation.

"'Bout four hours." Ron laughed watching him shake his head. Harry took the water from Ginny and gulped it down. "I forgot that I was starving before I fell asleep. I couldn't even stay awake long enough to ask Kreacher for a sandwich."

"Mum's going to make a big lunch for everyone. Then we can all get some sleep." Said Ginny as she rubbed his back.

"That sounds perfect." Said Harry through a yawn.

"Yeah, let's go home." Ron said, giving Hermione's hand a squeeze.

"Yes, home would be nice." She said softly, looking to their hands.

The Great Hall was still buzzing with people. The sun that was now perched high in the sky, radiated through the windows and lit up the broken hall like fire. The tables had been filled with much more food now that there had been more time to prepare it. Harry walked forward and reached for a large muffin, which he immediately bit into.

"There's dad," Ginny nodded to the front of the hall.

"He's still talking to Kingsley," Ron pointed out. "I reckon we've got a few more minutes if we want to get some of this feast." He looked to Harry and motioned towards the food that was spread across the table beside them.

"No, we're leaving." Said Mrs. Weasley as she and Professor McGonagall walked up from behind them. McGonagall smiled proudly at them as they stood before her.

"Well done you three."

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione beamed.

"Yes, thank you." Harry and Ron added.

"While you were away, we announced that a service will be held here at Hogwarts later this week, for those who were lost in the battle." McGonagall said as she placed a hand to Molly's shoulder. Molly grasped McGonagall's hand in her own.

"In the mean time," she added, "those who wish to help repair the damages to the school should return on Monday. There is a lot of work to be done, but with the efforts of our students, their families and our faculty, the castle will be as good as new before long."

"We'll be here, Professor." Hermione assured her.

"Definitely." Said Harry, and Ron nodded in agreement.

"You can count me in, too." Sounded Neville's voice.

"Glad to hear it, Mr. Longbottom." She smiled. "See you tomorrow." Professor McGonagall added to Molly before leaving.

"Yes, see you then, Minerva." Molly waved.

"Well, just wanted to come say goodbye." Neville looked between the friends.

"Gran and I are off to visit my parents." He said quietly to Harry.

Harry turned to Neville, his hand outstretched.

"You killed the snake, Neville." Harry told him. "You were brilliant."

"We were all brilliant." He told Harry, as he shook his hand and smiled to his friends.

"Neville dear, you must join us tomorrow for brunch. And your gran." Molly told him as she pulled him into a hug. "At our house tomorrow afternoon."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. I'll tell my gran. See you all tomorrow, then." He nodded and they exchanged goodbyes before he turned and walked back to his gran.

"Well you lot," said Arthur, making his way towards them. He placed his hands on Harry and Ron's shoulders. "What do you say we get home?"

"I'd say it's about time." Ron said looking to his dad.

"I'd say that's about right." Harry nodded, looking to Ron.


	11. Chapter 11: Home To The Burrow

Families had begun to slowly trickle down to Hogsmeade. For the first time in months, the village was alive. "Open" signs hung in the windows of pubs and shopkeepers helped one another in restoring the odd broken window. Witches and wizards stood in clusters around The Three Broomsticks where Madame Rosmerta offered her fireplace for access to the Floo Network. Many shared hugs and handshakes as they parted. Cracks sounded all around Ron as some disapparated from the village. The Weasley family walked together, speaking quietly amongst themselves. Ron's mother had her arm linked with his as they walked, and she spoke to him and Percy about what she would cook when they returned home. A few paces ahead of the Weasley's, Hermione smirked as Harry turned her jacket a bright shade of green with his mended want.

"Turn it back, Harry." She laughed quietly before he changed it back to its original colour.

Ron watched his friends laughing and in that moment, he felt as though things had gone back to normal.

"Arthur, we should stop by The Magic Neep and pick up some things for our brunch." Molly said looking to her husband.

"Ah yes, I suspect our food will no longer be fit to serve after all this time." Arthur replied with a grin as he turned in the direction of the greengrocers.

"Ginny can you give us a hand?" Molly asked her.

"Sure, mum." Ginny said before following her father.

"We'll meet you at home then, mum?" asked Percy.

"Yes dear, that will be fine." She pulled him down towards her and kissed his cheek. "See you all back at home."

Ron watched her turn and walk after Arthur and Ginny. As she disappeared into the little shop down the way, he marveled at her determination to care for her family in the midst of what had probably been the darkest day she had ever seen.

"See you at home." Smiled Bill before he and Fleur disappeared before their eyes. Percy followed his lead and disapparated only seconds after. Charlie stood beside George with his arm around his younger brother. George still looked pale and exhausted. His eyes were dark and swollen. Ron saw Charlie speaking quietly to him. Charlie looked up to Ron and nodded before disapparating with George in his arms, who evidently had not been strong enough to go on his own. Sadness struck Ron like a lack of oxygen at the sight of his debilitated older brother. He turned to see Hermione and Harry hand in hand. She held out her free hand to Ron and he walked forward to take it. With one loud crack, Hogsmeade swirled away.

The view of his home fell perfectly into place as the came to a firm stop at The Burrow. Ron's feet landed on the ground and he felt Hermione pulling him towards her to stabilize him.

"Thanks," he began but stopped short at the sight of his family's home. The house had been the victim of an angry attack and it stood in shambles before them.

"Oh no," breathed Hermione.

Ron dropped her hand and walked towards the house. Every window on the main floor had been shattered. The back door that served as the entrance into the kitchen hung from its hinges. The family broom shed looked to have been maliciously set on ablaze and the fire had eaten away one side. Fleur, Bill, Percy and Charlie had all begun repairing windows. George sat on the ground with his arms resting upon his bent knees. He tossed his wand to the ground in frustration and squeezed his forehead. Ron walked towards him and gripped his shoulder tightly.

"We're going to fix this." Ron told him.

"Yeah," George nodded.

Harry had gone forward and began helping to seal cracks in the windows of the home. Hermione stood at the entrance to the kitchen, holding her wand to the hinges of the door. With great concentration, the door began to straighten and align with the wall as the hinges came unbent. She pulled the door handle towards her in attempt to see if it would close and it lined up perfectly. The door refused to shut however, so Hermione held it closed and muttered "reparo." There was a quiet click and Hermione opened and reclosed the door to make sure it had worked. Ron watched her fondly as she moved inside and continued to work.

He began to walk forward to follow her inside but a crack sounded and Ron knew his parents had arrived home. He turned just in time to see their devastated faces. Arthur stepped forward with a large paper shopping bag in his arm.

"Well that was to be expected, wasn't it?" he said. He looked down to his son and extended his hand. George took his hand and Arthur pulled him to his feet. "Good man." Said Arthur as he pulled his son close to him and walked inside together..

"Yes well never mind. We'll take care of it later." Said Molly as she followed her husband towards the house. "Lot's to eat, you all."

"There are only a few windows left, mum." Bill called over to her. "We'll just finish up. Only be another minute."

"Well if you insist." She replied as she stepped into the house.

Inside Hermione had begun picking up the mess left by the intruders. It looked as though someone had taken the contents of every surface and swept them to the ground.

"Oh thank you, dear." Said Molly as Hermione unloaded one of the bags from her arms.

"It's better than I thought it would be." Arthur smiled to Harry as he looked around the kitchen. Molly and Hermione looked to each other and laughed. Molly pushed a broken plate from the counter and onto the ground before unpacking the bag, and Harry joined in on their laughter. Ron looked from one face to the other, confused about how everyone could be happy.

"Ze windows are as good as new." Smiled Fleur as she walked through the doorway.

"Marvelous!" called Arthur spreading his arms out enthusiastically while Molly kissed Fleur's check.

Suddenly, George voice rang loudly from another room. "Dad!" he called sounding panicked. Arthur rushed after his son's voice and the rest of the family followed.

Everyone had gathered around the family clock and Ron approached it, noticing immediately that new hands had been added.

Fleur's face and long silvery hair floated closely to Bill on an ornate looking hand. To the right of Fleur were another two hands that bared Harry's and Hermione's smiling faces. Their hands had joined the rest of the Weasley family under the "home" location. Ron turned around and saw them both examining the same thing. Hermione's eyes watered and Harry caught Ron's gaze. Harry smiled to him and Ron knew that they were both moved by his family's gesture.

Ron looked to George who was standing before the Weasley's family clock. George fiddled angrily with his wand trying to stop a single spinning hand. Ron peered closer and saw that the picture of Fred's face had darkened. The hand was rotating aimlessly. It appeared to be lost.

"It won't stop." Said George in frustration, flicking his wand back and forth.

"Oh, Arthur." Pleaded Molly at the sight of her distraught son.

"Alright," said Arthur placing a hand to George's back. He withdrew his wand and with a gentle wave, Fred's face lightened and the hand began to slow. It came to a final stop, aligning itself with George's hand, then gently dropped from the clock. Ron's mouth fell open and George stood devastated as he watched his twin's hand fall to the ground. Arthur reached out quickly and grasped it in his hands.

"Here, son." Said Arthur, placing it to George's palm. George tightened his fingers around it and held it to his chest.

"Thanks." Nodded George, his voice hoarse and broken. "Could you help me with this?" he asked turning around to Bill.

"Sure," Bill waved his hand, gesturing for George to follow him from the room.

Everyone began to walk back to the kitchen but Ron stayed there, alone in the room. He kicked aside everything surrounding his feet, wondering where to start. He began picking up everything from the floor, trying to clear a walking path through the littered items. He lifted chairs back into standing positions and readjusted the strewn furniture, putting each item back into its original place. Ron's frustration grew with every book, picture and trinket he picked up from the floor. Fatigue was catching up with him, and Fred's darkened face was all he could think about. He reached forward to lift a lamp from the ground and tripped over his feet trying to avoid a vase. Ron turned around angrily and kicked it. He instantly regretted his sudden outburst as the vase hurdled rapidly across the floor towards the wall. To Ron's astonishment, the vase came to an abrupt stop and hovered a couple inches from the ground. Ron breathed out a sigh of relief and looked up to see Hermione holding her wand out towards the vase.

"Thanks," he muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I'm just… frustrated." He said taking in the mess around him.

Hermione lowered the vase onto a side table and walked over to Ron. She took both of his hands in hers and pulled Ron close to her.

"That's okay." She said looking up at him with her big brown eyes. She put her head to his chest and Ron rested his chin on top of it. They stood together for a moment while to ease Ron's frustration.

Hermione guided him to the couch and they both sat looking at each other. He felt more tears welling up inside him but fought back against them.

"It's okay that you feel angry, Ron. And it's okay to be sad." She told him and nodded. "But it's also okay," she added, holding his hands tenderly, "to try to feel happy, too." He nodded again, avoiding her eyes to keep from crying.

"She's right." Said Bill quietly as he walked towards them and took a seat in the chair next to the couch.

Ron exhaled before trying to speak. "I just don't think I can feel happy yet." Hermione nodded sympathetically.

"And Mum and Dad just keep going on, and everyone's laughing but I don't feel happy. I feel angry. I feel really angry." Ron said looking to both of them. He leaned back into the couch and directed his eyes to the ground. Hermione ran her thumb back and forth over the top of Ron's hand. He tightened his grip around her fingers.

Fleur walked up and took a seat on the arm of Bill's chair. He wrapped his arm around her as George entered the room and leaned against the wall. Fred's clock hand now hung around his neck and he tucked it below his sweater.

"You know, Mum and Dad feel like they need to be strong sometimes. Parents try to do that for their children. Everyone tries to do that; protect the people they love. When they're alone and everyone is asleep, they will take the time to deal with George's death and it's going to be incredibly difficult for them. But right now they're doing what they do best. Looking out for their family." Bill told Ron, but glanced to George every so often. "And Hermione is right, because if there's anything Fred would want, it wouldn't be for us to sit here like a bunch of miserable goblins. He would want us all to have a round of butterbeer, and celebrate him." Bill looked encouragingly to George, who nodded his head and gave a faint smile. Ron turned to Hermione.

"I think that's exactly what he would want." She told him.

"How about it?" Bill asked him.

"Yeah." Nodded Ron slowly.

"Maybe, do you 'ave any of ze Weasley fire works?" said Fleur turning to George.

"Great idea! Any Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes at all?" Bill added enthusiastically.

"Whole box upstairs!" George said, standing up tall for the first time since they arrived at the Burrow.

Bill clapped his hands together. "Pull it all out, then!" he yelled and George ran up the stairs towards his room to retrieve the box of merchandise that normally filled his store.

"Hey Charlie," Bill called to the other room. Charlie peered around the corner with his eyebrows raised curiously.

"Will you call for everybody over there to come outside? And bring all the butterbeer that's there." Bill instructed as he stood from the chair.

"Outside?" Charlie questioned, "Outside for what?"

"To celebrate Fred." Bill told him, and he walked from the room.


	12. Chapter 12: Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes

Outside, the Weasley children with Harry and Hermione stood in a circle around George. He placed the box in the middle, grabbed a butterbeer and took a place between his siblings. Ron closed his eyes as the warm breeze grazed his skin and swept his hair from his forehead. The sun was warm and bright and it beat down on them in the spring afternoon as though it believed the season to be summer.

"Dad, Mum!" Bill called, beckoning his parents come join them outside.

Molly emerged from the kitchen shielding her eyes from the sunlight. She wiped her hands on the front of her apron and called into the house.

"Arthur, they're all set."

He walked out into the light behind Molly, his hand over his mouth, gripping his chin.

"What have we got?" Asked Arthur as he joined the circle between Charlie and Hermione.

"Butterbeer." Said Charlie, handing a bottle to his father.

"That was supposed to be for tomorrow." Said Molly as she twisted the top off of one. Charlie gave her a cheeky look and wrapped his arm around her. "Supposed we can get some more tomorrow." She smiled to her son. She walked across the circle and took a spot between George and Ginny.

"That's our tribute to Fred." Said George pointing to the center of the circle and taking his mum's hand in his.

"Of course." Said Arthur smiling down at the box of mischief at their feet.

Molly stared around to her children, looking taken aback. She pulled a tea towel from her apron, and waved it back and forth in front of her face to dry her eyes.

"A toast," said Bill, holding his butterbeer in the air. "To Fred. Inventor, prankster, son, brother and friend."

Everyone lifted their bottles high repeating "Fred" before taking long gulps of butterbeer. Once everyone had lowered his or her drinks, Bill began again.

"To Tonks and to Lupin, loving parents, loyal friends."

"Here here" and "Tonks and Lupin" sounded around the circle. They drank and lowered their drinks. Silence lingered there in the sunlight.

"I love you all." Percy's voice broke through the quiet.

"Love you, Perce." Charlie said back. Everyone began to turn to the person standing next to them. They exchanged hugs and "love you's" and Ron noticed Harry and Ginny concentrating hard on each other from opposite sides of the circle. Ron took Hermione's hand and placed a simple kiss to the back of it.

"To family." Said Percy, who raised his butterbeer. Everyone echoed "to family."

"And to great friends." Added Hermione with her butterbeer held to the Weasley family and Harry as they stood around her.

Arthur wrapped his arm around Hermione.

"To _family_" he said smiling down to her. She placed her hand over her heart watching the Weasley's drink to her and Harry, acknowledging them as part of their family.

"To…" Charlie paused for dramatic effect. "Hogwarts." He finished with a smirk and tilting his bottle to the sky.

"YES!" yelled Bill.

"To Hogwarts." Everyone drank.

Bill gulped down the swig of butter beer and held up his bottle again before speaking.

"To… Gryffindor!" Bill grinned to Charlie, who also lifted his bottle high.

"TO GRRRYFFINDORRRR!" Charlie called loudly up to the sky with a laugh.

"TO GRYFFINDOR!" called everyone, laughing, and they drank.

Ron cleared his throat and held out his bottle. He directed it to Harry and tipped the bottle towards his friend.

"To Harry."

"And to you." Said Harry, nodding his head to Ron and Hermione. They both smiled back to him.

"To Harry." Said the group, then drank.

Harry raised his bottle in front of him, and everyone stood quietly before he spoke.

"To Dumbledore." Harry said.

"To Dumbledore." The repeated firmly, and drank.

Harry raised his bottle again. "To Severus Snape." He said slowly, but powerfully.

"To Snape."

"To Severus."

They drank.

Harry raised his bottle a third time. He looked around to everyone.

"To every hero, here and gone."

"Here, here!" said Arthur.

Everyone took a final drink.

Around the circle, a few coughed to clear their throats. Molly, who stood between George and Ginny pulled them both in and one at a time, kissed their cheeks. Ron took a deep breath and rubbed his fingers over his eyes.

"Thanks, Bill." Ron spoke first. Bill smiled to him, and gave him one supportive nod.

"Alright, what have you got for us, George?" Bill asked.

Ron felt Hermione's hand run over his back. She leaned against him and he looked down to meet her gaze.

"All kinds of stuff," said George as he got down to his knees and took the top off of the box. "Ginny." Said Fred as he plucked a wand from inside. "Give that wave."

Ginny placed her bottle on the ground and stepped forward to take the wand in her hand. The wand lit up, illuminating a very dull light.

"Not to worry, not to worry folks." Said George as he dug his hand into the box. He pulled out a Pygmy Puff and placed it in Ginny's free hand. A wide grin instantly spread across her face and the wand began to shine a very bright light. Everyone clapped.

"Thank you, thank you. Weasley's Wonderous Wands, everyone." Called Fred.

"Let's have a look, Gin." Said Charlie holding out his hands to catch it.

"I've got another one for you here, Charlie." Said George as he pulled a second wand from the box. Charlie flicked the wand and it burst into a bouquet of flower stems with chicken heads instead of peddles at the ends. Applause and laughter erupted again.

"Oh, I don't miss those lying about." Laughed Molly, her cheeks with single tears streaking down them.

"Yes, thank you. Our famous Trick Wands, everybody." Said George, taking a minor bow from his knees.

Ron looked back and forth between George's show and Hermione. From time to time she would notice Ron staring at her, and would look away from George to look back at him. Ron wished desperately to be alone with her.

George pulled a single rubber chicken from the box. He stood it on its feet next to him and the chicken began to perform an Irish step dance.

"Rubby O'Chicken, ladies and gentlemen." He announced. Everyone clapped for the talented chicken, which George left to dance as he fished around for more goods.

"Now, who's feeling brave today?" George daringly looked around to his siblings.

"I'm feeling quite brave." Said Percy from behind George.

"Great, could you give me a hand then?" he asked reaching up towards Percy. Percy took George's hand and was immediately shaken as an electric shock spread through his body. Every tiny red hair on Percy's head stuck straight out and the electric current travelled visibly between each strand. Everyone howled with laughter as George let go of Percy's hand. Arthur held a stitch in his side, laughing at the sight of his son twitching and waiting for the current ware off. Percy gasped for breath between his laughter and his jerking, electrocuted body.

"Percy Weasley, everyone. Give him a round of applause!" called George. "The Electric Shock Shake!"

George pulled out small bottles from inside the box. "Fellas, join me, why don't you?" he said looking back and forth between Ron and Harry. Ron shook his head, smirking to George.

"Go on!" yelled Charlie to Ron. Harry walked forward as if to dare Ron to do the same. Ron pulled his arm from around Hermione and reluctantly walked towards the middle. George stood them side-by-side and pulled the top off the jar in his hands. He dipped his finger inside and wiped straight across Harry's brow line. George dipped his finger in a second time, and wiped it clean across Ron's upper lip.

"In five, four, three, two, one. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our grown up boys."

Ron could feel a prickly mustache sprouting from his top lip. He looked to Harry who had developed a dark, thick unibrow. They looked at each other and both laughed loudly. Laughter burst all around them as everyone took in their new appearances.

"Don't worry lads, the hair will be gone in less than a week." Said George as he patted them both on their shoulders. Everyone's mouths dropped open as they looked to George.

"I'm only joking," he laughed watching them sigh in relief. "Just a few hours. Magical Mustache Miracle Stubble Grow, everyone!"

They laughed and applauded again and Ron scratched his now itchy upper lip. Hermione laughed as he walked towards her and he wondered how she'd feel about kissing his newly mustached face.

"Brother Bill," George turned. "How about a romantic moment for the newlyweds?" he asked.

Bill walked bravely towards the center with his chest pushed out with humorous courage.

"What I have here, is a kissing concoction." Said Fred with a devilish glare.

"I'll do it." He said, holding his hand out to George.

"Bill, you don't 'ave to drink zis love potion to want to kiss me I 'ope." She smiled playfully at him.

"Not for a second!" he told her and downed the bottle in one gulp.

Everyone waited silently for the potion to take effect. Almost instantly, Bills eyes became dopey and his eyelids began to droop. He turned to see Fleur standing before him.

"Now, don't worry, Fleur. I do have a bottle to cure it in here somewhere." Said George looking through the box.

"YOU are BEAUTIFUL." Bill yelled at his wife and laughter exploded from everyone.

"It's here somewhere." Said George looking back and forth between Fleur and the crazy man he had created.

Bill threw his arms open and wrapped them around his wife.

"You are so pretty!" he told her between kissing each cheek. "You are the prettiest girl I know. I have the prettiest wife!" He told everyone, looking around to them. He squeezed her tightly in his arms and kissed her on her forehead. She laughed as he nuzzled his nose against hers.

"Bill!" said Fleur as she grabbed his face with both of her hands. She planted a big kiss right to his lips. When she pulled away his dewy eyes had melted away and Bill had gone back to normal.

"Well yes, that will do the trick. Anyone else want to give that one a go?" George joked. "No? Alright, Hermione, a Frisbee with fangs or do you want to start off these fireworks here?"

"I think I could do without the fangs." Hermione laughed as she moved forward towards George.

"Alright then, Granger. What'll it be?" He picked up the box to let her see inside.

Hermione reached inside and pulled out a long colourful tube.

"Good pick." George told her quietly. "That one was Fred's favourite."

He took the firework from Hermione's hand. "Stand back everyone. I'm going to light this, then you throw it in the air, Hermione." George told her.

He placed the tip of his wand to the firework and Hermione tossed it to the sky. Everyone scattered and watched as the tube propelled itself high into the clouds like a rocket. There was a loud bang and fireworks unexpectedly flew across the sky, branching off in every direction until there was no part of the sky left colourless. They continued to fire over and over in their place. Beside Ron, tears had begun to run down George's cheeks. The brothers turned to each other in an embrace.

"He would have really loved this, George." Percy called over the loud firing.

"I know." George replied as he and Ron broke apart. George and Percy shared a hug before he held his wand in the air and the fireworks faded.

"That was perfect, George." Said Ginny and she kissed him on his cheek.

"Yeah." He smiled. "I think I'm going to go to bed now though." He said looking around to his mum.

"Don't you want to have a bite to eat, first?" asked Molly sounding concerned.

"No, I'm not hungry. Just tired." He told her. He pointed his wand at the box and all sorts of fireworks shot from it in different directions and everyone turned excitedly to see all the incredible creations the twins had developed in their fireworks. He smiled to his mum and she kissed him before he walked back inside.

"See you in the morning, son." Arthur called to him and George waved a hand before he disappeared into the house.

Ron walked over to where Harry and Hermione were standing. They had their heads stretched back as they watched the display of sparkling, crackling, and fizzing colours that danced and shimmer across the sky. Harry lowered his head and looked to Ron. Ron snorted at Harry's furry forehead. Harry cracked a laugh too.

"Hermione, do you think you can do something about these?" Harry grinned, pointing to his eyebrow.

"Yes." She laughed. "I'll take them off after this."

Hermione didn't look away from the fireworks. Ron looked down to her as the colours radiated across her face. He felt like his heart was swelling inside his chest. He glanced over her skin, wanting to find a place to touch. He found the perfect spot between her ear and her jaw and dragged the back of his finger down her soft face. She leaned into his touch.

"Alright everyone, food will be ready." Molly called out to her to her family that was dispersed across the yard.

Hermione looked down from the fireworks and to Ron's face.

"Let's eat and then go to bed." Ron suggested, hoping to finally be alone with her.

"Yeah." She nodded through a yawn.

Arthur waved his wand to the sky and the fireworks slowly subsided. Everyone began to walk back to the house, exchanging hugs and kissed as the passed by others. Ron wrapped his arms around Molly and she pulled him in close to her.

"Love you, Mum." He told her. She was taking deep breaths and trying not to cry.

"And I love you, Ron." She leaned back and looked proudly into his face. "Come on, let's get you something to eat." She said as she turned them towards the house and they followed everyone into the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13: In Bed With A Ghoul

Ron stepped out of the bathtub, where he had spent several minutes scrubbing away the dirt from his body that had collected over the past two days. He wrapped a towel around his waist and examined his reflection in the mirror above the sink. Ron ran his fingers through his wet hair, pulling it from his face. He dragged his fingers and his thumb down his jaw, allowing the prickles along his unshaven skin to poke at his fingertips. He found a razor among the clatter of the seven-person bathroom and began to tidy up his wayward facial hair. When he finished, he splashed water over his clean-shaven face. Remnants of the foamy shaving cream dripped off his chin and into the sink. He looked again to his reflection in the mirror and stared hard at his new mustache, then back down at the razor.

"Is it even worth it to try to remove you?" he asked it hopelessly through the mirror.

He ran the razor over one corner of the mustache. Little red hairs dropped down into the sink. Ron checked the mirror for evidence of a hairless upper lip, only to find new hairs sprouting.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He said, tossing the razor aside. He quickly got dressed in some clean clothes and headed downstairs to find his friends.

The Weasley family living room looked much tidier than it had before their meal. The floor that had been cluttered with their belongings was now cleared of any mess. There was no longer any evidence of the attack that the home had been subjected to. While the room was in dire need of a thorough dusting, the house was beginning to look the way Ron had always known it to.

Lazed on the couch were Harry and Hermione. They both sat facing one another, leaning into the back of the couch and propping their tired heads up with their hands. Ginny sat in a chair beside them, resting her head against her knee. She looked up when she noticed that Ron had entered the room.

"Finally." She said, standing from her chair. She had been waiting patiently for her turn to shower.

"Oi, d'you know how many times I've had a hot shower over the past nine months?" he smiled to her.

"Yeah, yeah." She laughed walking from the room. Ron nudged his sister as she passed.

Harry and Hermione had already showered and changed into clean, comfortable clothes. They were speaking quietly and flipping through Hermione's copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Hermione's beaded bag rested atop the side table. Ron walked towards them and Hermione lowered the book as he approached. They both looked to him and smiled. Ron took a seat on the floor in front of the couch, resting his arms over his bent knees. Harry passed the open book to Ron. Written on the page was the symbol of The Deathly Hallows.

"He found the stone." Said Hermione through her sleepy amusement.

"You found the stone?" Ron looked between them feeling both excitement and bemusement.

"Tomorrow." laughed Harry drowsily.

Ron laughed. "Yeah, tomorrow." He agreed.

Hermione inhaled deeply, and stared out the window. "Feels like we just left yesterday." Hermione's voice trailed off as she gazed out into the garden.

"Yeah." Said Harry slowly, as though he was in disbelief of what they had accomplished in the time that they were gone. "But we did it." Harry added. Ron nodded as Harry spoke.

"Gosh…" He heard Hermione speak faintly, as he watched her staring aimlessly out the window.

Harry leaned back and rested his head against the arm of the couch. Ron looked to him and realized that Harry once again had two eyebrows.

"Hermione, did you take off that eyebrow of Harry's?" Ron asked her.

"Yeah, took her a few tries." Laughed Harry, his eyes now closed.

"It's a really well made product!" Hermione defended herself, turning away from the window to look at Harry.

"Can you get rid of this one, too?" asked Ron, pointing to his lip.

"Yes." Hermione laughed as she stood from the couch.

He stood up and Hermione held his chin still, directing her wand to his face. He tried not to move as he watched her concentrating. His lip began to tingle and Hermione wiped away at it with her fingers. The little red hairs fell from his face and disintegrated.

"All set." She smiled to him.

"Brilliant." Said Ron as he ran his fingers across his face.

They both turned back to Harry and before either of them spoke, they realized that Harry, breathing peacefully, had gently drifted to sleep. Ron reached to the chair where a warm crocheted blanket was folded over the arm. He picked it up and passed it to Hermione. She held it up high and let it fall from its folds, then waved it through the air, watching it fall gently over Harry. Ron saw Hermione step back from the couch but couldn't muster up the courage to look at her. He suddenly realized that they were finally alone. And although being alone with Hermione was all he had wanted for the past twelve hours, he was now beginning to feel nervous about it. Without moving, Ron glanced sideways to Hermione. As she came into his view, he saw her turn her head and look up to him.

"Ron, you're blushing." Hermione said, smiling up to him.

"I'm not." He smirked. He could feel his ears burning.

She stretched up onto the tips of her toes and gently kissed his pink cheek. Ron smiled and turned to her when she dropped back down to her feet. He placed the palm of his hand to the side of her face and brushed his thumb over her soft her skin. She closed her eyes as he caressed her.

"Come on." He said, tilting his head towards the doorway that lead the way out of the room. He dropped his hand from her face and took her hand.

"Umm, sleep tight, Harry." Whispered Hermione, quickly glancing back towards him. She swept up her little bag from the table as she and Ron rushed together from the room.

Ron led her to the staircase and they came to a stop at the bottom of the steps. Charlie, who was descending the staircase looked to them both as he approached. He stepped to the side, giving them room to pass and Ron moved back to allow Hermione to climb the stairs before him. Charlie looked Ron dead in the eye and gave him a subtle smirk. Ron nodded awkwardly to his brother and hurried after Hermione.

Ahead, Ron could see the end of the staircase before his bedroom. Hermione hopped from one step to the next and Ron chased after her. She reached the platform as Ron climbed the final steps. Hermione spun around on the spot and threw her arms around Ron's neck. Their lips met as Ron stepped off the staircase, his hands gripping each side of her body. He could feel her lips curling into a smile. Her arms tightened around his neck as he pulled her against him. He opened his eyes and glanced sideways as he reached a hand out in search of the doorknob. He found it and twisted it open. He walked towards the room with Hermione still in his hands, his lips still pressed to hers. She laughed through their kisses as they tried to move without breaking apart. They stumbled backwards and fell through the door, into his room at the top of the house. Immediately, they broke apart.

"What in the BLOODY HELL is that?" Shouted Ron. He was overcome by a sickening smell that was permeating his bedroom.

The warm sun had heated Ron's room to an uncomfortable temperature as it so often did. On this particular day however, much to Ron's irritation, the heat was worse than it had ever been, simply because it made the repulsive smell so prominent in the thick air that it became difficult to breath.

"It's the bed, Ron." Said Hermione walking towards it. "The blankets, they're covered in dry puss from the blisters you put on the ghoul." Her face was scrunched up with disgust.

"Ughhhh." Ron expressed his revulsion with a very agonizing groan. "They're rubbish now." He said as he looked down at his Chudley Cannons blanket with disappointment.

"They can be cleaned." Hermione told him, not sounding convincing at all. She walked over to the window and forced it open. Warm breeze blew through and swept the smell of spring into the room.

"You go get some clean blankets. I'll take these ones off." She said as she opened her beaded handbag. She yawned as she dug her arm inside.

Ron cussed the puss-covered ghoul as he walked from his bedroom. He could have kissed her right through to tomorrow.

When Ron returned with some clean bed linens, Hermione had changed into a pair of pajamas. A folded pair for Ron had been placed on top of his dresser. She was stripping his bed of the old smelly sheets and began bundling them up in a ball. She dropped the wad of blankets on the ground and turned to Ron.

"They might be a bit big." He said, staring down at the sheets.

"They'll do." Hermione smiled as she lifted them from his hands. "I left some clean pajamas out for you." She nodded to the dresser.

"Yeah, thanks." He said watching her walk over to the bed, where she began fitting the sheets to it.

He had lost count of the times he had changed into different clothes while Hermione was near by. Still, Ron felt slightly embarrassed as he removed his shirt and replaced it with one for sleeping. He glanced to Hermione every so often to make sure she was looking in a different direction.

Ron stepped out of his jeans and into his flannel pajamas, then kicked the other clothes to the side of his room. The fresh breeze from outside had cut through the stale air at the top of the house, and the sunshine blazed through the window. Hermione spread a nice clean quilt over Ron's bed and smoothed out the wrinkles. Ron opened his bedroom door, grabbed the piled of dirty bed sheets and tossed them on the floor outside his room. He shut the door and turned to Hermione.

"Much better!" she laughed.

Ron laughed too, but didn't say anything. He looked nervously around his room before settling his gaze back on her. They both stood silently, looking at each other and smiling coyly. Ron decided he should move towards her, instead of standing uncomfortably across the room. He walked towards her and looked down to her face when they met. He could feel the sunshine spreading its warmth over his skin.

His heartbeat sped up as they came closer together. Hermione placed one of her hands to his chest and he leaned in towards her. He stared momentarily at her eyelashes, and the freckles on her nose. Her eyes flickered up and met his. There was a split second where Ron felt as though they were frozen in that moment, and the next thing he knew, he had pulled her against him.

Ron cradled her head in one hand, the other he placed to her lower back. He held her there, as both of their lips moved urgently over the others. Hermione's hands slid from Ron's chest up to his neck. He moved them towards the bed and tripped over their feet. They both laughed, stumbling towards it and Ron placed kisses to every inch of her skin. He held Hermione close to him and he bent them down towards the bed so he could pull back the covers. Hermione kissed his cheeks and neck while Ron placed a hand on the bed and lowered them slowly to the mattress.

Hermione's hair fanned out beneath her as Ron laid her onto her back. She lifted her body to free her hair that had gotten caught beneath her. She quickly repositioned herself so she lay properly atop the bed. Her hands reached up to Ron, pulling him towards her. Ron tried to hold his body above hers but he was too tired to keep himself propped up. His arms began to shake and he gradually sunk down against her. Their legs tangled together and Hermione wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders.

He gazed down upon her sleepy face, brushing the tip of his nose against hers. Now that they were lying down, Ron felt waves of exhaustion flow over him.

He stared into Hermione's brown eyes and he could tell that although she was trying her best to battle her lack of sleep, she was being defeated. She covered her mouth as she yawned, while Ron brushed her hair back with his fingers.

"Ron," Hermione whispered. She watched him tangling his fingers in her hair.

"Yeah?" he mouthed, inches from her face.

"I'm really glad you came back." She stared up to him intently.

"You're not mad at me anymore?" he asked her with a faint smile.

"I'm furious." She laughed quietly. "But I'm glad you came back. We couldn't have done it all without you."

Ron rolled his eyes. "_You _can do anything."

Hermione shook her head. Her eyes stayed focused on Ron. "Not while you were gone."

Her soft words were almost inaudible. But they lingered between them as Ron lay above her, locked in her gaze. He could see that she meant what she said, and he knew that he had caused her as much pain as he had caused himself when he left. He felt her chest rising and falling heavily below him, and he listened to her inhale, then exhale. He moved his fingers through her hair and felt for her face. Her eyes closed as he grazed her skin. His tired eyes stung as he stared at her.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

She nodded. "I know you are." She assured him with a warm smile.

He leaned down and kissed her softly. She kissed him back. When he pulled away he rested his head to her chest. Hermione brushed her fingers through his hair. She kissed the top of his head, and he wrapped his arms under her body so he could hold her close.

"I'm falling asleep." Hermione whispered as she ran her fingers over his scalp.

Ron, whose eyes had fallen shut, nodded his head against her chest. Slowly, he rolled them both onto their sides without letting go of her body. He opened his eyes to look up at her, but the glare from the sunlight interrupted his vision. He could only see her silhouette, which leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He settled his head against her body and closed his eyes.


End file.
